Quebec adopts new code to regulate 'forever chemicals' in biosolids鈥攃omments from Prof. Grant Clark
The presence and concentration of PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals," in聽fertilizing residual materials聽will be monitored under new standards in Quebec through a management code, according to Quebec's Environment Ministry.
Quebec's code on the management of fertilizing residual materials聽such as sewage sludge,聽also known as聽biosolids鈥攚hich come from treating municipal or industrial wastewater鈥攚ill take effect Nov. 1.
The code聽takes聽into account a total of聽13 types of substances聽and includes monitoring guidelines.
These could be chemicals that are more prevalent in the industry, Grant Clark, Associate Professor at 91社区's Department of Bioresource Engineering,
While he does not know the exact reasoning behind the list's formulation, he says the choice may relate to their potential toxicity, health risk or value.聽
Quebec and Canada聽have legislated the use of biosolids, but Prof. Clark聽says the use of organic residue and materials on agricultural fields in particular goes back centuries.
"This is all part of the idea of the circular economy," said Clark. "We don't want to take those materials and just label them as waste and bury them on a landfill 鈥� we want to look at those materials as potential resources."
But he says the controversy surrounding the materials has developed because of the risk of potentially hazardous material.
"Consider what goes down the drain at your house 鈥� your shower water and the toilet water when you flush it, you may also be using chemicals in your house to clean the drain pipes," said Clark.聽
"Of course people are concerned because we're proposing to use and we already do use about half of the biosolids in Canada generally on our agricultural fields."
